It is something we never wish to think about, and yet, we must think about it. And talk to our children about it. And that is…child abduction.
I read something recently that brought up a scary memory for me of what happened to my daughter.
I lost my five year-old daughter (Merf, nickname) in a large department store at the mall. To say I was freaked out would be an understatement. This happened right after the abduction of Adam Walsh in 1981.
(If you don’t know the story, seven-year-old Adam Walsh was abducted from a mall in Florida and later found murdered and decapitated. Sorry. Gruesome, I know. [Adam’s story is here.] You have probably heard of his father John Walsh of America’s Most Wanted.)
As Merf and I shopped, I told her to stay close as looked around in one of the women’s departments. Merf loved to feel fabrics when she was little, especially soft ones, and would occasionally crawl under the clothes racks and feel the fabrics.
Thinking she was right beside me, or under a rack, I said something to her. But she did not answer me.
I softly called to her. No answer.
I looked around, and under, and behind, and called again. No answer.
Starting to panic, I called a little louder. No answer.
Now getting frantic, yet trying to remain calm so as not to appear like a lunatic, I yelled out in the store for her, but she did not answer.
At the same time, my mind raced through all the horrific scenarios that could happen. My heart felt as though it would jump out of my body. I prayed, “Oh, God! Help!”
Just then, my ears perked up as I heard someone calling, actually yelling, my name from somewhere within the store . . . “LYNN!”
I looked around and a very dear friend was just coming through the entrance of the store. I waved to her.
From halfway across the store, she yelled, “Are you looking for Merf?”
“YES! Where is she?”
“She’s right here by the door!”
I ran to get her. After smothering my daughter with kisses and practically squishing her insides out with my hug, I asked her why she didn’t stay by my side.
She said she couldn’t find me and, as she knew which way we came in, she went to the double set of doors and waited in between them because she knew I would come out that way.
Oh, be still my heart! It still shakes me up to this day.
I do not relate all this to scare you but to instill action in you. If you have not done so, you need to talk to, and teach, your kids about safety and abduction prevention.
There are some great sites on the internet that can help you. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children is a great resource. Their site says it “provides safety and prevention resources for families and professionals focusing on child abduction, child sexual exploitation and Internet safety.”
A few of its resources are…
NetSmartz® Workshop
The NetSmartz Workshop is an interactive, educational safety resource for children ages 5 to 17. NetSmartz prepares children to behave responsibly when confronted with issues concerning Internet safety.
Take 25®
This campaign encourages families to take 25 minutes to talk to their children about safety and abduction prevention. The campaign is a great resource for communities.
Child ID
NCMEC recommends families have a Child ID kit prepared for each child in the event he or she is missing. One of the most important pieces of this kit is an up-to-date, good quality photo.
A couple other helpful sites are…
But as great a help as all that is, there is a greater help to teach our children: to know the Lord is their ever-present help in all situations.
With all the evil in the world, it is highly important that we teach our kids and grandkids to stay close to us or whoever is in charge of them at the moment. We want to teach them with love and gentleness so as not to scare them. However, a little apprehension is a good thing.
At the same time we explain closeness to them, we need to teach them that staying close to the Lord, as our heavenly Father, is of utmost importance. As His children, we are never alone or without His help in any situation.
“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”
(Ps. 46:1 NIV)
“Lo, I am with you always.”
(Matt. 28:20b NKJV)
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Lynn writes devotionals and inspirational stories. She has one book waiting to be published in 2015 and is working on a second one. Her greatest passion is to fulfill God’s call on her life to encourage others and glorify the Lord with her writing. She currently writes for several sites and writes bi-weekly on her site, Heading Home. http://lynnmosher.com
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